products do, in fact, register more solidly with consumers than other forms of advertising, both in recall and affinity. Agencies, Holmgreen says, are getting it. In too many cases, the brands themselves are not. “On the brand side, a majority of them are looking at the TV commercial, the digital ad, the print ad, the radio spot, and saying, ‘Boy, that’s really cool,” Holmgreen says. “And they’re like, ‘Oh, that’s kind of the value add, is doing the merch.’ No. Merch is not the value add. Merch is involved with all of these. That is a collective brand strategy. “The smart CMOs, the smart brand managers, they’re seeing it all the way across the board. But there’s just a conversation that needs to take place there to elevate it.” What this amounts to, tactically, is an overhaul of the industry-wide approach to end buyer and consumer outreach and messaging. It’s about cooperation and education within advertising and marketing trade groups, interacting with the brands themselves to celebrate cool campaigns and deeper research to make it more indisputable than ever: Merch matters. Not only that, merch is an opportunity to create a feeling every brand wants to instill in its audience – joy. Holmgreen says the trick will be to understand buyers better, just as he did as a young ad man pitching concepts to clients. For PPAI and the entire industry, it will be what Holmgreen has been prioritizing since starting the new job – listening and learning. “We need to look at the personas we’re trying to talk to, the strategic point that we’re trying to make and the end goal of what we want to accomplish,” he says. Pulling together the perspective of corporate brand leaders who emphasize their merch – and those who do not – will help PPAI get to the right strategy and execution. “This is not a short-play kind of thing,” adds Holmgreen. “This is not a rush. This is going to take time to develop. It’s got to be intentional in how it’s pulled together.” Buyer and consumer outreach is not a new goal for PPAI or the industry. Today’s Promotional Products Work! campaign had its predecessor, Get In Touch! Both programs, and all that came before, had their successes. But the vision statement is still a vision, meaning there’s room to improve. Elevating promo is the essence of the work PPAI has been doing since 1903. No one person and no one organization can do it alone. The Association’s members, Holmgreen says, have a vital role to play. “They need to be the advocates and the ambassadors,” he says. “[PPAI’s] reach is only so much. But our community’s reach is vastly wider and broader. So, we need our community to amplify that message, because that creates a circular marketing strategy, surrounding your audience with the message.” Like a hug. Ellis is the publisher and editor-in-chief at PPAI. “Joy at PPAI comes from the strong sense of connection we share across teams, with our leadership, board and members. It’s in the way we support each other, celebrate achievements and elevate the work we do together. Whether it’s through collaboration, innovation or simply knowing that our efforts make a difference, there is an energy here that leads to both individual and collective success. Being part of an organization where people uplift each other and work toward a shared vision is what truly makes PPAI special.” – Alok Bhat, Market Economist & Senior Manager of Research & Public Affairs, PPAI “My joy is helping a customer save money or showing them how self-promotions can put a smile on their customer’s face. I eat, sleep, breathe and live my job – I love it. Willie, my PPAI account manager, never let me give up. No matter what, I always knew there was a smile on the other end of the phone, and he would be my voice and say, ‘Don’t give up. I know you can do this, Jennifer,’ and give me ideas and things I didn’t think to try or recommend to a customer. He has always tried to motivate me and helped me believe in myself so I had the confidence to help others believe in themselves and create those smiles.” – Jennifer Lefevers, Owner, Platinum Ink Marketing Must Read | A Vision of Joy 50 • APRIL 2025 • PPAI
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